Designated hitter Dayan Viciedo drew a key 11-pitch walk to lead off the ninth inning, stole second and came around to score the game-tying run on a single by center fielder Jordan Danks, before second baseman Eduardo Escobar singled home shortstop Andrew Garcia for the game-winning tally in the 10th, as the Charlotte Knights rallied past the Indianapolis Indians 3-2 yesterday afternoon at Victory Field.

Trailing 2-1 entering the final inning, the Knights mounted a comeback led by Viciedo, who fouled off six pitches to draw a lead-off walk. The Charlotte All-Star slugger then stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and came home to even the score at 2-2 on the RBI single from Danks.

The Knights then took home the victory with a 10th inning rally that began when Garcia lifted a one out double to left-center field. LF Alejandro De Aza would follow with an intentional walk to leave it to Escobar, who lined a single to left to score Garcia and give Charlotte the 3-2 victory.

Charlotte’s late inning offensive outbreak came in support of an excellent combined effort from five Knights hurlers, who surrendered just two unearned runs over their 10 innings of work. After starter Deunte Heath struck out six and allowed just two unearned runs over five innings of work, relievers Tony Pena, Shane Lindsay, Josh Kinney and Anthony Carter combined to allow just one hit over five innings of stellar relief.

Kinney tossed two perfect innings to earn the victory and improve to 5-2 on the season, while Carter finished off the contest to pick up his third save.

Despite not figuring in the final decision, Tribe starter Brad Lincoln battled though the heat to allow just five hits through six solid innings.

Charlotte threatened early, as they loaded the bases with back-to-back base hits from Escobar and 1B Jim Gallagher and a walk by Viciedo. However, Lincoln would induce a double play ball from former Tribe OF Lastings Milledge to keep the Knights off the board.

The Indians would then take the game’s first lead in the third inning thanks to a Knight’s miscue and three clutch two out at-bats. After SS Ronny Cedeno reached on a Charlotte fielding error to begin the bottom of the third, DH Pedro Alvarez and 1B Matt Hague each drew two out base-on-balls to set the stage for C Jason Jaramillo.

In what was his first action in an Indians’ uniform in nearly two months, Jaramillo came through with the game’s big base knock, as he roped a two-out base hit to center to plate Cedeno and Alvarez and give the Tribe a 2-0 lead.

The Knights cut the Tribe deficit to one in the fifth thanks to a lead-off home run by C Donny Lucy, who belted the ball over the fence in left for his seventh longball of the season.

However, Charlotte would be held scoreless until their late inning outburst thanks to Lincoln and a spectacular relief effort from LHP Daniel Moskos, who struck out two over two perfect innings. Tribe closer Tim Wood suffered just his second blown save of the season after he allowed the Knight’s tally in the ninth, while RHP Jared Hughes surrendered Charlotte’s score in the 10th to take the loss and fall to 1-1 on the season.

Indianapolis and Charlotte now wrap up their four-game series on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. LHP Justin Wilson is expected to get the call for the Indians, while the Knights are expected to counter with RHP Joe Bisenius.